Editorial: Who should follow in Scott Hochberg's footsteps?

For nearly 20 years, Scott Hochberg has represented southwest Houston in the Texas House of Representatives, where he has become the ranking expert on public education. As he retires from the Legislature, filling his shoes will be a difficult task, and his absence certainly will be noticed.

In the Democratic primary on May 29, an impressive slate of candidates has come forward to run for Hochberg's seat representing the 137th District in the Texas House. But one would be hard pressed to find a first-time candidate more knowledgeable about how Austin works than Joseph Carlos Madden.

If elected in the fall (the Democratic primary winner will face Republican M.J. Khan), Madden would be a freshman representative, but one with years of legislative know-how in his portfolio. Currently serving as chief of staff for Rep. Garnet Coleman and as executive director of the Texas Legislative Study Group, Madden has a thorough familiarity with the bills that end up on the House floor, and the often byzantine methods by which they get there.

During an interview with the Chronicle editorial board, Madden described in intricate detail the process of working with both the Perry and Obama administrations to improve managed health care in Texas. Anyone who can successfully help build bridges between camps as diverse as Gov. Perry's and the White House demonstrates a talent much needed in Austin.

Madden is running for a district that includes Gulfton and Sharps-town, areas of dense immigrant population and troubling gang crimes, but brimming with hopeful potential. Rising residential communities, unique small businesses and ethnic restaurants stand as harbingers of a rising middle class and elite consumers. These areas need government involvement to help fight crime and support the community organizations that stop kids from joining gangs. And a candidate like Madden not only recognizes the important role that government has to play in this sort of situation, but has the talent and ability to get things done.

If elected, he would have a short learning curve, being able to get to work on day one. Madden faces impressive opponents in this primary, among them Jamaal Smith, who shares Madden's legislative experience. But there's something to be said for a candidate fluent in Spanish representing a district that is majority Hispanic.

And while Madden never gets lost in the high weeds of specific policy (despite the depth of his expertise), he also rises above the technical jargon and speaks to the American dream incipient in this Ellis Island of districts.